Nebuchadnezzar

The term that is transliterated as “Nebuchadnezzar” in English is translated in American Sign Language with the signs for “king” and one signifying a wavy beard, referring to the common way of wearing a beard in Mesopotamia (see here ). (Source: Ruth Anna Spooner, Ron Lawer)


“Nebuchadnezzar” in American Sign Language, source: Deaf Harbor

In Spanish Sign Language it is translated with a sign depicting “idol in my image,” referring to Daniel 3:1. (Source: Steve Parkhurst)


“Nebuchadnezzar” in Spanish Sign Language, source: Sociedad Bíblica de España

For more information on translations of proper names with sign language see Sign Language Bible Translations Have Something to Say to Hearing Christians .

Learn more on Bible Odyssey: Nebuchadnezzar .

Most High

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The Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, Ge’ez, or Greek that is translated as “(God) the Most High” or “Most High God” in English is translated in various way:

  • Eastern Highland Otomi: “he the completely glorified God”
  • San Mateo del Mar Huave: “Father God who is high in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has such tremendous authority”
  • Chichimeca-Jonaz: “he who is the native of the highest place”
  • Palantla Chinantec: “the Big God Himself”
  • Xicotepec De Juárez Totonac: “God who has authority over all”
  • Estado de México Otomi: “most exalted God”
  • Isthmus Mixe: “God who is in heaven”
  • Teutila Cuicatec: “God who has a great rule” (source for this and above: Viola Waterhouse in Notes on Translation August 1966, p. 86ff.)
  • Sa’a: “God, the Surpassing One” (source: Carl Gross)
  • Elhomwe: Mulluku Muullupalli or “God the Great” (source: project-specific translation notes in Paratext)
  • Chichewa: Wammwambamwamba: A name of God. While this word is difficult to translate into English, its sense implies that God is highly above everything in his power and greatness. (Source: Mawu a Mulungu mu Chichewa Chalero Back Translation)

complete verse (Daniel 3:26)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Daniel 3:26:

  • Kupsabiny: “Then the king moved close to the opening/entrance of the fire and shouted aloud, ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the God of authority, come out!’ They came out.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “Nebuchadnezzar went close to the door of the kiln with the roaring fire and said loudly, "O Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego, servants who serve the most great God, Come out!"
    So Shadrach, Meshech and Abednego came out of the fire.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “So, Nebuchadnezzar drew-close to the door of the blazing furnace and called-out, ‘Shadrac, Meshac, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, you (plur.) come-out-of there! You (plur.) come here!’ And they three came-out.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • English: “Nebuchadnezzar came closer to the opening of the flaming furnace, and he shouted, ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you who worship the Supreme God, come out of there! Come here!’ So they stepped out of the fire.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Daniel 3:26

Door: if this word is taken in its more restricted sense, it may be misleading. According to some interpreters this was an opening at the top of the furnace or oven, but others see it as an opening in the side. New American Bible and Anchor Bible have “opening,” while New Jerusalem Bible and An American Translation translate “the mouth” of the furnace. A side opening would certainly make it easier for the men on the inside to come forth.

Said: the context seems to require more than a bland, literal rendering of this verb. Something like “shouted” or “yelled” is probably called for in many languages.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: the three names are cited twice in this verse. It is probably best to translate them in the first occurrence, since they are vocatives. However, when the narrative resumes, many translators will probably want to change to the pronoun “they” as in Good News Translation, or to say something like “all three of them” (Bible en français courant).

The Most High God: although this title is used in the Psalms, elsewhere it is found only on the lips of non-Jews (Gen 14.18; Num 24.16 and Isa 14.14) as a name for the God of Israel. It expresses the greatness of this God without necessarily stressing that he is greater than all other gods. For this reason some object to the rendering “the Supreme God” in Good News Translation.

Come forth, and come here: these two imperatives are not to be thought of as separate and distinct commands. Rather they have the combined force of the idiomatic English “come out here,” urging the men to leave the place where they were in order to come to the place where the king was. Naturalness in the translator’s language should be the determining factor as to whether one or two imperatives are used in translation.

Then: note that Good News Translation adds “at once” at the end of the sentence in order to make the narrative more vivid. This can be justified on the grounds that the transition word at the beginning of the sentence may carry this sense.

Quoted with permission from Péter-Contesse, René & Ellington, John. A Handbook on Daniel. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1994. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .